Collapsible stool



1947- M. A. LOPES :COLLAPSIBLE STOOL Filed Feb. 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Qllllllllllll" //Vl/ENTL7I. MANUEL. A. Lon-S 5 2%.

Alig. 5, 1947. LOPES 2,425,196

COLLAPSIBLE STOOL I Filed Feb. 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 W. 11 =un1i;..... Q

llllll llil ||l Illllllllllllllllll ll llllhll llillllllllll l l 1 'h //v1/ /vr0/? MANUEL LOPES Patented Aug. 5, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT ori ce Manuel A. Lopes, Vallejo, Calif.

Application February 2, 1946, Serial No. 645,109

2 Claims. 1 The present invention relates to improvement in a collapsible stool wherein a tube is provided with closed ends having radial slots therein which operate in conjunction with two separate sets of longitudinally folded legs within said tube, each set having their inner ends pivotally connected to one of a pair of plungers slidably' mounted for longitudinal movement within said tube from the approximate center to the adjacent or nearest ends of said tube, the outer ends of said legs being in slidable engaging relation with the radial slots of their respective closed ends, whereby said legs may be projected by said plungers beyond said ends and spread or unfolded to form a leg support for said tube and also for a seat on the top of said tube.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved collapsible seat or stool.

Another object is to provide a new and improved device of the character set forth, having improved means whereby the same may be unfolded or spread to form a support for a cushion or seat and folded compactly when not in use, to facilitate transportation or storage thereof.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present application and in which- Fig. 1 is an elevation, one half being in longitudinal section, of the folded stool, as when not in use;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the stool set up, or unfolded, for use; and

Fig. 6 is a broken detailed view of one of the spring latches for holding the stool in expanded or set-up position.

Referring to the drawings:

The numeral l is used to designate in general a tubular body or housing having integrally formed spring latches 2 upon preferably diametrically opposite sides and adjacent each end thereof, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more set forth.

Each end of the tube l is provided with an end piece 3 having radial slots 4 therein, which slots are preferably four in number for the lower end, and six in number for the upper end, as fully disclosed in Figs. 4 and 2, respectively, of the drawings, the six upper slots being similar in every respect to the four lower slots.

Slidably mounted for longitudinal movement within the tube I and near the approxlmatecenter thereof and each arranged to move to opposite ends of the tube l, are two plungers i. A separate set of legs 8 has the inner ends of said legs pivotally connected to separate plungers I while the outer ends of said legs 8 slidably engage the slots 4 of their respective end plates or pieces 3 of the tube l, as disclosed in the longitudinal sectional portion of Fig, 1 of the drawings.

Rings 9 are slidably mounted upon the outer end portions of the tube I, each being attached to one of the plungers 1 by means of screws ll extending inwardly through slots l2 in the sides of the tube l.

In operation:

When folded and not in use, the plungers 1 are receded or positioned near the center'of the tube I, so that the two sets of legs 8 also are receded and lie in spaced parallel position and longitudinally within the tube, with their outer ends resting in the-slots 4 of the end pieces 3, as fully disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

To setup the stool for use, preferably the lower ring 9 is first moved downwardly which moves its respective plunger 1 and legs B'attached thereto until said legs are fully'extended below the bottom of said tubel, when said legs are spreadv or expanded to operative position by the tension of springs 5 attached to said legs 8 and the lower plunger 1. As the lower ring 9 is moved to its extreme low position, the diametrically opposed spring latches 2 on the end of the tube I automatically engage diametrically opposite sides of the ring 9 and hold the same in extended position, as fully disclosed in the lower end of Fig. 5 of the drawings.

With the. lower legs 8 thus extended, the device is set upright on said extended legs 8 and the upper ring 9 is then actuated to move its respective plunger 1 to the upper or top end of the said tube l, thereby extending the upper legs 8 in the same manner as above described for the lower legs 8, excepting that the upper legs may be arranged to drop or spread by the attraction of gravity, if desired, instead of the spring tension above described. Before the upper legs 8 are fully extended or expanded, however, a semifiexible seat 6, flanged downwardly around its edge as at I5 to form a pocket, is placed upon the upper ends of the upper legs 8, with said ends snugly engaging said pocket as fully disclosed in the upper end of Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In this manner, the seat or cushion 6 is effectively supported with six legs 8, thereby effecting a more even distribution of the weight where it frequently is most needed, as in the case of considerable obesity in an occupant.

In order to fold or collapse the stool compactly for storage or transportation purposes, the above described operation is reversed, with the obvious result that the two sets of legs will be receded within the tubular body I.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A collapsible stool comprising a tube havin longitudinal slots and a closed end with radial slots therein; a plunger slidably mounted within said tube and movable to and from said closed end; a set of legs having one set of ends pivotally connected to said plunger and their opposite ends slidably engaging said radial slots; and a, ring slidably mounted upon the outer surface of said tube and connected with said plunger through said longitudinal slots and arranged to move the same longitudinally within said tube,

2. A collapsible stool comprising a tube having longitudinal slots and a closed end with radial slots therein; a plunger slidably mounted within said tube and movable to andfrom said closed end; a set of legs having one set of ends pivotally connected to said plunger and their opposite ends slidably engaging said radial slots; a ring slidably mounted upon the outer side of said tube and connected with said plunger through said longitudinal slots and arranged to move the same 1ongitudinally within said tube; and means for normally spreading the outer ends of said legs when said outer ends are moved beyond said radial slots.

MANUEL A. LOPES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Ditmanson Oct. 8, 1907 

